Are your friends getting bruises every time they come over due to pounding paws on their legs and body?
Many people like to believe that when they come home and the first thing their dog does is jump on them, their dog is simply happy to see them. While I believe that there is no doubt that your dog is happy to see you return from your ‘scouting expedition‘ as they see it. Jumping up on someone is also your dogs way of establishing a pecking order in the home.
In your dogs world every time you leave your home you are leaving your pack. No matter how many times you tell them that you are going to work and will see them later, they hear the same tone and sounds they heard the last time you left for a long period of time. Not knowing where you went or if you would return. “See you later girl” is a cue that you are leaving. Nothing more and nothing less. In a dogs world life is very simple and real. Unlike humans they easily accept the fact that every time you leave the safety of the family/pack you may not return. So a new ‘hopefully temporary’ pecking order is established.
While I do believe that jumping up on a person who lives in the home when you return from being gone can be part of a celebration that you have returned to the family, I also know that the second part of that jump is a way to reassign the pecking order in the home and pack. Yes, every time you leave and come back. The interpretation would sound something like this, “Ya Hooo you returned, I’m so glad to see you. OK now look, don’t forget who’s in charge. 
‘tail wag’ Ok cool”.
Now if your dog isn’t jumping up onto you then they are not trying to establish a pecking order, they are simply celebrating. Possibly feeling relief from the separation anxiety they have been dealing with while you were gone. Which is another discussion altogether.
For those of you that choose to over humanize your dog and believe that jumping up on you is only a polite over excited greeting that couldn’t possibly mean anything different to a dog than it would to a human, let me open another door for you to look through.
Jumping on people can be dangerous and painful!
If you have a bigger dog, little children, older people who like to come over, a family member who becomes sick, something hot in your hands, nylons on or no pants at all. This list goes on and on. IT CAN HURT. oops, was that said with too much intensity?
“I don’t have a big dog so its not a big deal”
Really? Those little claws can cause damage and pain just like a big dog. It is also easy to hurt your little dog when he/she is jumping and you are walking forward right on to a little foot or leg. Then try to keep your balance. And when that little fur baby gets hurt from being stepped on, tripped over or having whatever was in your hands drop down and land on them because you were trying to say hello so that they would calm down, your going to feel guilty. More importantly, they are going to feel the pain.
Jumping is not a good behavior no matter how you look at it.
People if you want to share in the celebration with them that you have returned home and to the pack then by all means do so. But learn how to speak dog so they understand exactly what you are saying.
You owe it to yourself and most importantly you owe it to your canine kid.
Good manners are part of being a Canine Good Citizen and just being polite. But they are also a sign of respect. A good education will teach these things to you and your dog.
Find out more about how to control this behavior and more by listening to the Canine Nanny 911 radio show and look into starting your education at Canine Nanny 911
